Remington Split Breech - Small Frame Type 1

[vmicraig]

This is my well-used Remington second pattern "Split Breech" .44 cal Carbine. It's had heavy use in Europe with a stock that's been rebuilt in several spots, but at least a cartouche is still faintly visible. The split breech carbine was the last pattern of military carbine to be delivered to the US government during the American Civil War and the direct predecessor of what would become the rolling block, the most widely used single-shot, breech loading, military rifle action of the 19th century.

The development of the split breech action is attributed to Remington's Joseph Rider, who was responsible for the myriad of Remington-Rider firearms designs. His design was quite similar to a design by Leonard Geiger, who never followed through and produced a single gun. Geiger had patented some of his concept but relinquished his patent rights to business partner Charles Alger who also failed to follow through with the gun production. In the meantime, Remington engineer Joseph Rider came up with a similar idea, and being slightly different, was able to obtain a patent on behalf of Remington, who thought it had potential as a military weapon.

After realizing the patent crossover and potential legal issues, Remington paid royalties to Geiger and Alger, locking in the ability to move forward with the "rolling block" action design. Since the US Ordnance Department was interested in reviewing different carbine designs to support the war effort, Remington took a prototype to Washington in 1864 for demonstration to the Ordnance Department. While there, Remington officials met Samuel Norris (formerly of Norris & Clements), who was eager to make a deal and agreed to act as an agent for Remington. Assuring Remington that he could deal with the contracting and production, he agreed to accept Remington royalties while dealing with all the aspects involving contracting and production, a win-win deal for both.

Norris managed to arrange a contract for 1,000 first pattern small-frame carbines in .44 rimfire, and approached Savage firearms manufacturing to produce the firearm. However, Savage was unwilling to produce such a small number and wanted at least 10,000 guns ordered. Despite only having a contract for 1,000 arms from the government, Norris took the risk and made the deal, believing enough in the gun that if the government didn't want them all, he could sell them to someone. By Jan, 1865, however, the government upped the contract to 5,000 of the small-framed split breech carbines (Type 1), and since they had so much 56-50 Spencer ammunition in stock for Spencer arms, the Government offered an additional contract to Remington and Norris to manufacture an additional 15,000 larger frame, split breech carbines (Type 2, or second pattern) in the US government .50 metallic cartridge (aka 56-50 Spencer).

The pattern designs of the smaller frame and larger frame carbines were similar, although the first pattern is slightly smaller, since the 50 cal gun had to be dimensionally larger to fit the newer cartridge. Thus, a grand total of 20,000 guns were manufactured between the two, but the carbines arrived to late to have been issued for the war. The majority of the guns spent the next 5 years in storage in US arsenals, with about 1,400 being issued to various state militias and seeing some post-Civil War use. In 1870, with the coming of the Franco-Prussian War, Remington managed to buy back roughly 3,600 of the 5,000 Type 1 carbines, and sell them to France for use in that conflict, with the 56-50 models seeing heavy use in the French wars. The balance of the carbines were sold as surplus over the ensuing years, for significantly less than the $17.00 per carbine that the Ordnance Department initially paid for them.

The1,400 issued to state militias probably saw post-Civil War service, and both Types were classified as US Martial property firearms, despite the fact of arriving too late for the war. Not only were they the first type of military rolling block to be manufactured and see service, but they were also the grandfather of all subsequent rolling block designs.

 

[Jim in Wisconsin]

Thanks for the great pictures! I have always liked rolling blocks and sort of knew about the split breech types but I had never really seen one. Now I can see how they worked.
Rider was a smart man!

 

[JOHN42768]

Although specified to be .44RF the Type I Small frame were produced as .46RF. and later changed to a Type II large frame in .56-50. Below is a great write up by "Tim Prince of College Hill Arsenal" of one he had sold.

"The Remington Type 1 "Split Breech" Carbine holds a number of distinctions in the history of American firearms. The carbine is considered to be the first metallic cartridge long arm to be produced by the famous Remington Arms Company, even though they outsourced the production! The "Split Breech" was also the last pattern of military carbine to be delivered to the US government during the American Civil War. The Remington "Split Breech" was also the direct predecessor of what would become the most widely used single-shot, breechloading, military rifle action of the 19th century; the rolling block. The development of the split breech action is attributed to Remington's Joseph Rider, who was responsible for the myriad of Remington-Rider firearms designs. However, it appears that in reality the Rider design, patented in December of 1863 was quite similar to the design of Leonard Geiger, which had been patented in January of 1863. In order to make sure that no patent infringement suits were ever brought against the company, Remington acquired Geiger's patent rights in the fall of 1865. With both the Rider and Geiger patent rights in hand; the company had a lock on the "rolling block" action design. The US Ordnance Department was sufficiently interested in the design to contract with Remington for 1,000 of these small frame, "split breech" carbines, to be chambered in .44 rimfire. Unfortunately, all of Remington's production capacity was tied up in the manufacture of their .44 "New Model" Army percussion revolvers and US contract rifles (the M-1863 "Zouave") and rifle muskets (US M-1861 / 63 models). As a result, Remington approached Samuel Norris (formerly of Norris & Clements) who was involved with the Savage Revolving Arms Company. Norris agreed to manufacture the carbines, but required a minimum order of 10,000 to make it worth tooling up for the production of the guns. Remington took the risk and placed the order. It was a gamble that worked out, as the order was eventually increased to 5,000 of the small frame, split breech carbines (Type 1), and an additional order was placed by the Ordnance Department for 15,000 large frame, split breech carbines (Type 2) in the newly adopted US government .50 metallic cartridge (what would become known to collectors as the 56-50 Spencer). At some point during the production process the caliber specification for the small frame carbines was changed from .44RF to .46RF, the same caliber as the majority of the Ballard military carbines and rifles. Deliveries of the .46RF Remington Type 1 Split Breech carbines began at the beginning of 1865, with the majority having been delivered before the end of the Civil War. All of the guns were delivered within weeks of the close of the conflict. However, the carbines do not appear to have been issued for the war. The majority of the guns spent the next 5 years in storage in US arsenals, with about 1,400 being issued to various state militias and seeing some post-Civil War use. In 1870, with the coming of the Franco-Prussian War, Remington managed to buy back roughly 3,600 of the 5,000 Type 1 carbines, and sell them to France for use in that conflict. The balance of the carbines were sold as surplus over the ensuing years, for significantly less than the $17.00 per carbine that the Ordnance Department initially paid for them.

The Remington .46RF Type 1 Split Breech Carbine was a compact and rugged, single-shot breech loading carbine. The gun has a case hardened frame, a 20" round blued barrel and a two-piece stock with a carbine style butt and short, tapered forend. The size, weight and appearance of the carbine was similar to that of the 2nd Model Maynard carbine. A sling bar and ring was attached to the reverse of the frame, and a simple, two-leaf aperture rear sight (much like the Whitney "mid-range" sight) was mounted on the top of the frame. The barrel was secured to the forend with a single mounting screw from the bottom and a single blued barrel band. The tang of the frame was marked in two lines: REMIGNTON's. ILION, N.Y. / PAT. DEC. 23, 1863. MAY 3 & NOV 16, 1864.. The markings reference both Rider's and Geiger's patents. The guns were an important step for the Remington design team, as they formed the groundwork for the rolling block action. That design would become the most successful single-shot, metallic cartridge military long arm of the mid to late 19th century, and would used by more countries than any other competing design."

 

[plymouthairrifle]

Thanks for posting your small frame. I have a large frame model and somewhere out there is a small frame model waiting for me to take him home.